Sarara Camp Mathews Range Laikipia

Sarara Camp is a luxurious eco-lodge perched on the slopes of the Mathews Mountain Range within the 850,000-acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy. Known as “The Place of Peace” in the Samburu dialect, this remote sanctuary in Kenya’s Northern Frontier District offers a profound connection to an ancient landscape.

Blending the romance of a traditional tented camp with the raw beauty of the northern wilderness, Sarara is a blueprint for community-led conservation. The camp overlooks a permanent waterhole that draws a constant parade of wildlife—from elephants and leopards to the rare “Samburu Special Five”.

Whether witnessing the age-old tradition of the “Singing Wells” or visiting the nearby Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, guests are immersed in a world where indigenous culture and biodiversity flourish side by side.

Location & Accessibility

Sarara Camp is nestled in the southern foothills of the Mathews Range (Lenkiyio Hills), directly beneath the towering Warges Peak. It is situated within the vast 850,000-acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya, a region known for its dramatic landscapes, key water towers, and as a sanctuary for indigenous wildlife and Samburu culture.

By Road:

✓ Conditions: The final leg of the journey involves rough, unpaved tracks winding through the wilderness, necessitating an experienced driver and a vehicle with high clearance
✓ Scenic Drive: The drive transitions from the highlands to the arid northern frontier, passing Mount Kenya and the striking Mount Ololokwe before entering the Mathews Range
✓ Route: For the adventurous, driving from Nairobi is possible but requires a sturdy 4×4 vehicle and takes approximately 7 to 8 hours. The route typically follows the A2 highway north past Nanyuki and Isiolo, turning off towards Wamba and into the conservancy

By Air:

✓ Airstrips: The camp is best accessed via the private Namunyak (Sarara) Airstrip, located just a 5-10 minute drive from the lodge

Scheduled Flights:

✓ To Lewa Downs: Daily flights also serve Lewa Downs (approximately 1 hour). The road transfer from Lewa to Sarara is a longer journey, taking approximately 3.5 hours through diverse landscapes.
✓ Private Charter: Private charters from Nairobi (Wilson Airport) or Nanyuki can land directly at Namunyak Airstrip for the most seamless and exclusive arrival (approx. 50-minute flight from Nairobi)
✓ To Kalama Airstrip: Daily scheduled flights from Wilson Airport (Nairobi) fly to Kalama Airstrip (approx. 1-hour flight). From Kalama, a Sarara guide will transfer you to the camp on a scenic game drive that takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours

Accommodation

Sarara Camp comprises six luxury tents and one exclusive family house, all positioned to maximize uninterrupted views of the mountains and the teeming waterhole below.

Luxury Tents (6 Units)

Spacious, high-ceilinged canvas tents that celebrate the earthy textures of the northern frontier.

✓ Bathrooms: En-suite facilities with indoor toilets and spectacular solar-heated outdoor showers that look out over the hills
✓ Views: Each tent features a private terrace with a table and chairs, offering front-row seats to the sunrise and the wildlife passing by
✓ Configuration: Available as singles, twins, doubles, or triples. Two tents are interconnected via an outdoor path, creating an ideal family unit

Sarara House (Exclusive Family Unit)

A private two-bedroom sanctuary designed for families or small groups of friends.

✓ Layout: Two en-suite bedrooms centered around a spacious shared lounge and dining area
✓ Privacy: Guests enjoy private dining and complete seclusion while retaining access to the main camp’s amenities
✓ The “Elephant Pool” features a private plunge pool that has become famous for resident elephants coming to drink from it, offering guests highly intimate wildlife encounters

Room Features & Amenities

✓ Private Verandas for relaxation
✓ Dressing Gowns and luxury linens
✓ Drinking Water provided in rooms
✓ 24-Hour Solar Power (Type G plugs)
✓ Wooden Safes and ample cupboard space
✓ Solar-Heated Outdoor Showers with views
✓ Butler Box for discreet morning tea/coffee delivery

Dining & Culinary Experience

Dining at Sarara is an immersive affair, celebrating fresh, organic produce grown in the camp’s own gardens.

Dining Settings:

✓ Alfresco Evenings: Dinner under the stars on the terrace, watching nocturnal wildlife visit the waterhole
✓ Main Mess & Terrace: Breakfasts and lunches are served here or under the trees, overlooking the infinity pool and waterhole
✓ Bush Dining: Breakfasts served in the middle of the wilderness after a morning walk, or magical dinners set in a dry riverbed beside a roaring fire

Culinary Highlights:

✓ All-Inclusive: Rates include soft drinks, local beers, and house wines/spirits
✓ Morning Ritual: Tea, coffee, and home-baked cookies served on your private veranda at sunrise

Lounge & Common Areas

✓ Starlink Wi-Fi: Available in the communal guest areas
✓ Main Mess Tent: A spacious, open-sided lounge with comfortable seating, earthy décor, and a gift shop
✓ Natural Rock Infinity Pool: A stunning pool carved into the cliffside, overlooking the permanent waterhole. Guests can cool off while watching elephants, kudus, and wild dogs drink just meters below

Experiences & Activities

Sarara offers a mix of authentic cultural immersion and thrilling wilderness adventures.

Included Activities:

✓ Horseback Safaris: One free ride included alongside a Samburu cowboy
✓ Rock Sliding: Plunging natural rock slides into crystal-clear pools (seasonal)
✓ Walking Safaris: Guided nature walks and hikes into the montane cloud forests to see ancient cycads and Colobus monkeys
✓ Game Drives: Unrestricted drives across 850,000 acres of pristine habitat to spot leopards, wild dogs, and the Samburu Special Five
✓ Reteti Elephant Sanctuary: One free visit is included to meet the orphans at Africa’s first community-owned elephant sanctuary (45-minute drive)
✓ The “Singing Wells”: A rare privilege to witness Samburu warriors singing to their cattle while digging for water in dry riverbeds—a profoundly moving, authentic tradition (seasonal, no photos allowed)

Optional / Extra Activities:

✓ Massage Treatments: Enjoyed in the privacy of your tent
✓ Fly Camping: Overnight adventures sleeping under the stars (often with camels)
✓ Helicopter Excursions: Scenic flights or overnight heli-camping on Mt. Ololokwe
✓ Cultural Workshops: Beading with Samburu women or blacksmithing with local ironmongers

Facilities & Guest Services

✓ Laundry: Daily laundry service included
✓ Gift Shop: Featuring local crafts and beadwork
✓ Connectivity: Starlink Wi-Fi in central areas (intermittent Safaricom signal)
✓ Eco-Friendly: Completely off-grid, powered by 24-hour solar energy and Tesla Powerwalls

Highlights of Sarara Camp

✓ Reteti Elephant Sanctuary: Direct access to this world-famous conservation project
✓ The Singing Wells: A unique, non-commercialized cultural experience found nowhere else
✓ Sarara House Elephants: The unique experience of elephants drinking from your private plunge pool
✓ Community Ownership: Every stay directly supports the Namunyak community and their conservation efforts
✓ Mathews Range Landscape: A dramatic departure from the typical savannah, offering mountains, forests, and dry riverbeds

Sarara Camp Mathews Range Laikipia, Non-Residents Accommodation Rates Per Night Include;

✓ Laundry 
✓ Full board accommodation
✓ Local airstrip transfers (Namunyak airstrip)
✓ Soft drinks, local beers, non-premium wines, and spirits
✓ Activities Included: Day and night shared game drives + Guided walks + Hiking in the montane forest of the Mathews mountains + Trips to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary (entrance fees extra) + De Brazza monkey hike, and village visits

Notes

* No hairdryers provided
* WI-FI Intermittent in main areas
* Closed in November  2026
* Check-in 1100 Hours &, Check out 1000 Hours
* Sarara Camp has six luxury en-suite tents (12 beds)
* The minimum charge for exclusive use is 12 adults
* Children of any age are welcome, but are more suitable for 5 years and over
* 9 Days Kenya Fly-in Safari Samburu Masai Mara Naboisho Conservancy | Click Here
* Charging points in a tent (3-pin square) at floor level and in the main area. No adapters provided
* Conservancy Fee  – An adult pays 185 US dollars per person per day, & a child pays 115 US dollars per child per day
* Sarara House – 2 ensuite bedrooms (4 beds), sitting/dining room, own swimming pool, private guide, and exclusive vehicle

Sarara Camp Mathews Range Laikipia Rates Non-Residents Rates Exclude:

* Massage treatments
* Champagne, premium spirits, cellar wines
* Ololokwe day trip – 400 US Dollars per vehicle
* Samburu dancers – 550 US Dollars for 25 dancers
* Fly camping mobilization fee – 350 US Dollars per person
* Beading with Samburu women – 25 US Dollars per person
* Blacksmithing with Samburu Ironmongers – 25 US Dollars per person
* 1, 2, or 3-day walks exploring the Mathews with Camels – quotes on request
* Horse riding – 60 US Dollars per person per ride( weight limit 85kgs – experienced riders only)
* Transfer: Lewa to Sarara 400 US Dollars per vehicle (max four passengers). Approximately a 2.5-hour drive
* Exclusive use of vehicle – 250 US Dollars per day (subject to availability and restricted to within the Sarara Basin)
* Conservancy Fee  – An adult pays 185 US dollars per person per day, & a child pays 115 US dollars per child per day
* Exclusive use of the vehicle at 300 US Dollars per day (subject to availability and restricted to within the Sarara Basin)
* Reteti Elephant Sanctuary entrance fees – 35 US Dollars per person payable direct (600 for exclusive visits plus 35 US Dollars per person in an exclusive group

Sarara Camp has six luxury tented rooms, each positioned to maximize the stunning views of the Matthews Mountain Range and the watering hole. The tents can be configured for single, twin, double, or triple occupancy. Each tent is spacious with a wooden safe, high ceilings, and cupboard space.

Local and international dishes are prepared using organic produce from the camp’s own organic garden. Guests can enjoy their meals in the mess tent, on the terrace overlooking the pool, or alfresco in the bush.

There is an evening bonfire where guests can enjoy drinks, relax, and unwind under the stars. Guests can choose a massage in the privacy of their own tent.

Sarara Camp has an infinity pool up on the cliff overlooking the animals below. Guests can watch animals come to the water hole without leaving the camp. The water is visible from the mess tent, the hide, or the outdoor pool.

Mathews Range is home to several thousand elephants, as well as a variety of other species, including leopards, giraffes, wild dogs, and kudus. Guests at Sarara need not stray far from their tent to view these splendid creatures. During Kenya’s dry season, the camp watering hole attracts a daily crowd of visitors, including elephants and warthogs.

Sarara Camp, Mathews Range, Laikipia. Activities include:  Unrestricted game drives exploring the 850,000 acres of pristine wildlife habitat accompanied by a local Samburu guide, visiting the singing wells to honor an age-old Samburu tradition, hikes into the montane cloud forests, Fly camping, and visits to a manyatta.

Other activities include walking safaris, plunging into a natural rock slide into crystal clear pools (seasonal), beading with the Samburu ladies, fashioning your own jewelry with the Sarara Ironmongers, Reteti Elephant Sanctuary visits, Elephant rock art visits, school visits to Sarara Mobile Montessori Program, and Bush meals.

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com